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2019 report: Safest driving cities in the U.S.

By Michelle Megna

August 09, 2019

Drive carefully road sign Brownsville, Texas earned the top ranking for the city with the safest drivers, according to a new insurance claims report.

The annual "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report," now in its 15th year, is based on an analysis of accident claims to determine how often crashes occurred in the 200 largest U.S. metro areas.

Brownsville, Texas, for the second year in a row is the city in which drivers have the least likelihood of crashing. Boise, Idaho, and Huntsville, Alabama also top the list of cities that can brag about having the safest drivers. The least safe cities include Baltimore, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Boston Massachusetts.

The report recently began providing information for some cities about what insures say is a notable factor in collisions – braking habits. Allstate pulled data from its Drivewise offering, which monitors driving habits to determine if drivers qualify for a safe-driving discount, to determine braking trends. A hard braking event is defined as slowing down eight miles per hour or more over a one-second time interval.

Here is how 200 cities rank for safe drivers.

2019 Best Drivers Report Ranking	City	State	Average Years Between Collisions	2018 Best Drivers Report Ranking	Change from 2018	Relative Collision Likelihood (to National Average)	Drivewise Hard- Braking Events per 1,000 Miles
1	Brownsville	Texas	14.95	1	0	-29.3%	N/A
2	Boise	Idaho	13.65	3	1	-22.6%	15.63
3	Huntsville	Alabama	13.39	4	1	-21.0%	20.08
4	Kansas City	Kansas	13.21	2	-2	-19.9%	14.44
5	Laredo	Texas	13.02	6	1	-18.8%	N/A
6	Olathe	Kansas	12.66	11	5	-16.5%	19.49
7	Fort Collins	Colorado	12.60	9	2	-16.1%	18.71
8	Overland Park	Kansas	12.44	13	5	-15%	22.71
9	McAllen	Texas	12.42	10	1	-14.8%	N/A
10	Cape Coral	Florida	12.24	8	-2	-13.6%	20.29
11	Madison	Wisconsin	12.18	5	-6	-13.2%	13.40
12	Cary	North Carolina	12.02	14	2	-12.0%	N/A
13	Colorado Springs	Colorado	12.01	20	7	-12.0%	22.06
14	Port St. Lucie	Florida	11.84	12	-2	-10.7%	18.37
15	Scottsdale	Arizona	11.63	16	1	-9.0%	26.13
16	Mesa	Arizona	11.60	15	-1	-8.8%	22.96
17	Mobile	Alabama	11.53	36	19	-8.3%	15.93
18	Corpus Christi	Texas	11.53	27	9	-8.3%	N/A
19	Knoxville	Tennessee	11.53	31	12	-8.3%	18.149
20	Amarillo	Texas	11.49	18	-2	-7.9%	N/A
21	Lincoln	Nebraska	11.46	24	3	-7.7%	17.76
22	Springfield	Missouri	11.46	23	1	-7.7%	18.96
23	Montgomery	Alabama	11.42	22	-1	-7.4%	24.31
24	Wichita	Kansas	11.32	17	-7	-6.6%	16.91
25	Reno	Nevada	11.26	29	4	-6.1%	21.90
26	Chandler	Arizona	11.21	26	0	-5.7%	28.12
27	Anchorage	Alaska	11.18	19	-8	-5.4%	13.22
28	Winston-Salem	North Carolina	11.07	28	0	-4.5%	N/A
29	Lexington	Kentucky	11.00	40	11	-3.8%	21.92
30	Thornton	Colorado	10.99	44	14	-3.8%	23.08
31	Chattanooga	Tennessee	10.95	45	14	-3.4%	21.43
32	Rockford	Illinois	10.90	51	19	-3.0%	23.71
33	Omaha	Nebraska	10.90	41	8	-3.0%	19.62
34	Eugene	Oregon	10.86	58	24	-2.6%	15.41
35	Peoria	Arizona	10.84	37	2	-2.5%	23.03
36	Fort Wayne	Indiana	10.82	30	-6	-2.3%	18.44
37	Kansas City	Missouri	10.78	32	-5	-2.0%	18.86
38	Des Moines	Iowa	10.78	34	-4	-1.9%	15.42
39	Lakewood	Colorado	10.77	25	-14	-1.8%	24.18
40	Tucson	Arizona	10.75	38	-2	-1.6%	24.00
41	Gilbert	Arizona	10.75	21	-20	-1.6%	24.63
42	Tallahassee	Florida	10.63	43	1	-0.5%	17.27
43	Fayetteville	North Carolina	10.62	54	11	-0.5%	N/A
44	Akron	Ohio	10.58	35	-9	-0.1%	16.84
45	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma	10.51	52	7	0.6%	18.97
46	Chesapeake	Virginia	10.45	46	0	1.2%	17.76
47	Clarksville	Tennessee	10.45	59	12	1.2%	16.93
48	El Paso	Texas	10.38	47	-1	1.8%	N/A
49	St. Petersburg	Florida	10.28	42	-7	2.8%	20.63
50	Birmingham	Alabama	10.27	39	-11	3.0%	22.42
51	Tulsa	Oklahoma	10.26	64	13	3.0%	20.50
52	Columbus	Georgia	10.25	78	26	3.1%	24.16
53	Lubbock	Texas	10.22	49	-4	3.5%	N/A
54	Killeen	Texas	10.17	73	19	3.9%	N/A
55	Oxnard	California	10.13	62	7	4.3%	N/A
56	Augusta	Georgia	10.12	69	13	4.5%	22.80
57	Miami	Florida	10.11	86	29	4.6%	32.60
58	Albuquerque	New Mexico	10.04	87	29	5.3%	22.22
59	Dayton	Ohio	10.01	55	-4	5.6%	16.97
60	Aurora	Illinois	9.98	74	14	5.9%	29.19
61	Milwaukee	Wisconsin	9.90	67	6	6.8%	20.53
62	Fort Lauderdale	Florida	9.90	53	-9	6.8%	24.80
63	Macon	Georgia	9.89	70	7	6.9%	17.31
64	Tempe	Arizona	9.89	68	4	6.9%	27.55
65	Joliet	Illinois	9.85	56	-9	7.4%	23.78
66	Virginia Beach	Virginia	9.83	65	-1	7.6%	20.93
67	Salt Lake City	Utah	9.81	48	-19	7.8%	20.56
68	Henderson	Nevada	9.80	57	-11	7.9%	22.81
69	Jacksonville	Florida	9.75	50	-19	8.4%	18.84
70	Naperville	Illinois	9.75	60	-10	8.5%	29.29
71	Jackson	Mississippi	9.72	95	24	8.8%	16.51
72	Sioux Falls	South Dakota	9.60	79	7	10.1%	12.29
73	Durham	North Carolina	9.57	61	-12	10.5%	N/A
74	Toledo	Ohio	9.56	66	-8	10.6%	20.75
75	Indianapolis	Indiana	9.52	80	5	11.1%	21.04
76	Shreveport	Louisiana	9.47	96	20	11.7%	22.37
77	Greensboro	North Carolina	9.44	77	0	12.0%	N/A
78	Newport News	Virginia	9.43	71	-7	12.1%	23.02
79	Waco	Texas	9.42	84	5	12.2%	N/A
80	Charleston	South Carolina	9.38	105	25	12.7%	N/A
81	Raleigh	North Carolina	9.38	75	-6	12.7%	N/A
82	Bakersfield	California	9.36	63	-19	13.0%	N/A
83	Denver	Colorado	9.31	102	19	13.6%	23.84
84	Phoenix	Arizona	9.30	83	-1	13.7%	27.43
85	Syracuse	New York	9.28	121	36	14.0%	19.02
86	Pasadena	Texas	9.27	91	5	14.0%	N/A
87	Spokane	Washington	9.24	103	16	14.4%	13.92
88	Salinas	California	9.24	76	-12	14.5%	N/A
89	Glendale	Arizona	9.22	97	8	14.7%	28.97
90	Santa Rosa	California	9.20	85	-5	14.9%	N/A
91	Hollywood	Florida	9.20	110	19	15.0%	30.26
92	Aurora	Colorado	9.19	115	23	15.1%	26.78
93	Orlando	Florida	9.16	72	-21	15.4%	23.04
94	Honolulu	Hawaii	9.14	94	0	15.6%	15.66
95	Oceanside	California	9.12	82	-13	15.9%	N/A
96	Huntington Beach	California	9.10	92	-4	16.2%	N/A
97	Lancaster	California	9.10	88	-9	16.3%	N/A
98	Louisville	Kentucky	9.10	133	35	16.3%	21.38
99	Pembroke Pines	Florida	9.06	101	2	16.7%	29.85
100	Memphis	Tennessee	9.05	126	26	16.9%	27.99
101	Tampa	Florida	9.02	104	3	17.2%	21.23
102	Salem	Oregon	9.01	128	26	17.4%	19.62
103	Rancho Cucamonga	California	8.98	100	-3	17.8%	N/A
104	Elk Grove	California	8.95	81	-23	18.2%	N/A
105	Chula Vista	California	8.94	106	1	18.3%	N/A
106	Miramar	Florida	8.94	89	-17	18.3%	30.82
107	Cleveland	Ohio	8.89	90	-17	19.0%	17.68
108	Nashville	Tennessee	8.85	120	12	19.5%	19.64
109	Orange	California	8.84	123	14	19.6%	N/A
110	Jersey City	New Jersey	8.83	114	4	19.7%	30.04
111	New York	New York	8.82	107	-4	19.9%	31.92
112	Little Rock	Arkansas	8.82	158	46	19.9%	22.98
113	Richmond	Virginia	8.68	109	-4	21.9%	21.38
114	Vancouver	Washington	8.65	151	37	22.2%	17.75
115	St. Louis	Missouri	8.64	143	28	22.4%	21.76
116	Rochester	New York	8.61	111	-5	22.9%	23.27
117	Detroit	Michigan	8.61	142	25	22.9%	25.98
118	Palmdale	California	8.54	99	-19	23.8%	N/A
119	San Diego	California	8.48	116	-3	24.7%	N/A
120	Santa Clarita	California	8.45	108	-12	25.1%	N/A
121	Enterprise	Nevada	8.44	New Addition		25.3%	29.60
122	Norfolk	Virginia	8.42	132	10	25.5%	19.63
123	Escondido	California	8.42	98	-25	25.7%	N/A
124	Moreno Valley	California	8.40	113	-11	25.9%	N/A
125	Hialeah	Florida	8.39	138	13	26.0%	30.32
126	Yonkers	New York	8.38	137	11	26.1%	31.67
127	McKinney	Texas	8.37	134	7	26.3%	N/A
128	Metairie	Louisiana	8.35	New Adddition		26.7%	20.01
129	Las Vegas	Nevada	8.35	122	-7	26.7%	25.45
130	Stockton	California	8.30	124	-6	27.5%	N/A
131	Grand Rapids	Michigan	8.30	136	5	27.5%	17.78
132	Bellevue	Washington	8.27	157	25	27.9%	25.57
133	Chicago	Illinois	8.26	129	-4	28.1%	28.78
134	Riverside	California	8.25	125	-9	28.2%	N/A
135	Frisco	Texas	8.23	150	15	28.5%	N/A
136	St. Paul	Minnesota	8.20	145	9	28.9%	19.25
137	Minneapolis	Minnesota	8.20	127	-10	28.9%	17.35
138	San Antonio	Texas	8.20	141	3	29.0%	N/A
139	Fort Worth	Texas	8.15	139	0	29.7%	N/A
140	Fontana	California	8.04	119	-21	31.5%	N/A
141	Columbus	Ohio	8.03	131	-10	31.8%	18.73
142	Fresno	California	8.02	117	-25	31.9%	N/A
143	Newark	New Jersey	8.01	173	30	32.0%	31.75
144	Grand Prairie	Texas	7.98	146	2	32.5%	N/A
145	Corona	California	7.98	147	2	32.5%	N/A
146	Ontario	California	7.95	130	-16	33.0%	N/A
147	Paterson	New Jersey	7.93	148	1	33.4%	35.37
148	Buffalo	New York	7.90	144	-4	33.8%	26.63
149	Tacoma	Washington	7.89	167	18	33.9%	19.73
150	Pomona	California	7.89	112	-38	34.0%	N/A
151	Paradise	Nevada	7.89	New Addition		34.1%	29.28
152	Modesto	California	7.87	135	-17	34.3%	N/A
153	Charlotte	North Carolina	7.78	153	0	36.0%	N/A
154	Plano	Texas	7.70	163	9	37.3%	N/A
155	Seattle	Washington	7.69	179	24	37.4%	20.62
156	Spring Valley	Nevada	7.68	New Addition		37.6%	30.91
157	Savannah	Georgia	7.67	168	11	37.8%	17.11
158	Houston	Texas	7.66	164	6	38.1%	N/A
159	Mesquite	Texas	7.64	169	10	38.4%	N/A
160	Austin	Texas	7.60	159	-1	39.2%	N/A
161	North Las Vegas	Nevada	7.60	140	-21	39.2%	29.17
162	Arlington	Texas	7.55	160	-2	40.0%	N/A
163	Sacramento	California	7.55	149	-14	40.0%	N/A
164	Irvine	California	7.53	162	-2	40.4%	N/A
165	Fremont	California	7.49	156	-9	41.2%	N/A
166	San Bernardino	California	7.46	152	-14	41.8%	N/A
167	Pittsburgh	Pennsylvania	7.45	171	4	42.0%	25.21
168	Arlington	Virginia	7.40	New Addition		42.9%	25.27
169	Sunnyvale	California	7.33	154	-15	44.4%	N/A
170	San Jose	California	7.31	170	0	44.7%	N/A
171	Long Beach	California	7.27	165	-6	45.5%	N/A
172	Dallas	Texas	7.22	178	6	46.5%	N/A
173	Cincinnati	Ohio	7.16	172	-1	47.6%	19.08
174	Santa Ana	California	7.16	161	-13	47.8%	N/A
175	Garland	Texas	7.12	181	6	48.5%	N/A
176	Anaheim	California	7.10	176	0	48.9%	N/A
177	New Orleans	Louisiana	7.09	180	3	49.1%	19.53
178	Atlanta	Georgia	7.07	186	8	49.5%	32.20
179	Torrance	California	7.07	182	3	49.5%	N/A
180	Irving	Texas	7.01	175	-5	50.8%	N/A
181	Portland	Oregon	7.00	190	9	51.1%	22.01
182	Sunrise Manor	Nevada	6.93	New Addition		52.6%	28.35
183	Bridgeport	Connecticut	6.92	187	4	52.8%	35.77
184	Fullerton	California	6.90	188	4	53.3%	N/A
185	Garden Grove	California	6.88	184	-1	53.8%	N/A
186	Hayward	California	6.85	174	-12	54.4%	N/A
187	Pasadena	California	6.84	177	-10	54.7%	N/A
188	Baton Rouge	Louisiana	6.82	185	-3	55.1%	26.60
189	San Francisco	California	6.80	183	-6	55.6%	N/A
190	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	6.33	191	1	67.0%	43.88
191	Oakland	California	6.31	189	-2	67.7%	N/A
192	Alexandria	Virginia	6.22	192	0	69.9%	27.48
193	Providence	Rhode Island	6.19	193	0	70.8%	26.50
194	Springfield	Massachusetts	5.82	195	1	81.7%	23.98
195	Los Angeles	California	5.81	194	-1	82.0%	N/A
196	Glendale	California	5.31	196	0	99.0%	N/A
197	Worcester	Massachusetts	5.14	197	0	105.6%	26.87
198	Boston	Massachusetts	4.89	199	1	116.5%	26.12
199	Washington	District of Columbia	4.36	198	-1	142.3%	27.21
200	Baltimore	Maryland	4.19	200	0	152.5%	30.58

*The Allstate America's Best Drivers Report® is the result of an in-depth examination of company auto claims data to determine the likelihood drivers in America's 200 most populous cities will experience a vehicle collision compared to the national average. According to Allstate claims data, the average driver in the U.S will experience a collision once every 10.57 years. This year, Allstate researchers analyzed property damage claims reported during the two-year period of January 2016 to December 2017. The report defines a collision as any auto crash resulting in a property damage claim and uses U.S. Census Bureau data to determine America's 200 largest cities. Hard-braking data is based on customers voluntarily enrolled in Allstate's Drivewise® telematics program from 2016-2017. A number of cities and their surrounding suburbs in the full 200 Best Drivers rankings are excluded from hard-braking analysis due to limited measurable Drivewise data, or because Drivewise was not available (California, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas). Allstate's auto policies represent approximately 10% of all U.S. auto policies, making this report a realistic snapshot of what's happening on America's roadways. The Allstate America's Best Drivers Report is produced solely to boost the country's discussion about safe driving and to increase awareness of the importance of being safe and attentive behind the wheel. The report is not used to determine auto insurance rates.

Accident-free and safe driver car insurance discounts

Safe driving, besides protecting you and those around you, is also cheered by insurers because fewer accidents mean fewer repair and medical claims. Crashes and moving violations will push up premiums, but a clean driving record for a certain number of years -- typically three -- should snag a car insurance discount of 10 to 25 percent.

Some car insurance companies offer an “accident-free” discount starting at 5 percent to drivers who do not have an at-fault accident for a specified period, typically three or five years, depending on the insurer. Accident-free discounts usually to the bodily injury liability, property damage liability, collision and medical payments portions of your policy.

You need collision coverage to pay for your car

If you cause an accident, your liability insurance will pay, up to your limits, for the other driver's medical bills and vehicle repairs. Liability insurance is required to drive legally. To pay for damage to your car, you must have collision coverage, which is optional.

How much a crash increases car insurance rates

How much insurance goes up after an accident depends on several variables, your driving record and your insurance company are chief among them. But CarInsurance.com data show that rates increase by an average of 31% for a property damage accident over $2,000. That's about $450 a year.

The higher rates typically drop off after three years. But it pays to shop around after a claim because insurance companies treat dings on your driving record differently -- some will hike your rate by a lot, others by a little, and some may not at all if it's your first crash and you have an otherwise clean record.

In addition to your driving record, the type of car you drive and the amount and severity of claims filed within in your ZIP code also play a role in what you pay for coverage.

Use our average car insurance rates tool to find premiums for your ZIP code: